Pattern baldness, or Alopecia, is becoming a swiftly growing and increasingly common ailment in both men and women. By the time they reach 30 years of age, approximately 25% of men have already begun going bald, and by 80 over 57% of women are affected to some degree by pattern baldness. Men are particularly prone to Androgenic Alopecia, so much so that they have a 4 in 7 chance of inheriting the ‘baldness gene’.
However, there are several natural methods involving important vitamins and minerals that can aid in not only better, and healthier hair growth, but can also assist in detaining the progression of pattern baldness, or help to stave it off indefinitely.
Vitamins and minerals can be administered to hair via two methods. The most common way vitamins and minerals are obtained by the body is through one’s diet. The body absorbs, through its daily dietary needs, a wide array of healthy hair producing vitamins and minerals. Diet has one of the most prominent and profound effects on the health of an individual’s hair as it dictates which important, hair building and repairing vitamins and minerals are consumed and which are left by the way side. Hair, similar to many other bodily organs, requires a wide array of important vitamins and minerals in order to produce healthy hair. Such vitamins include the full range of B-Vitamins, E, A, and C.
B- range vitamins are usually found in a spectrum of vegetarian sources such as whole grains, fresh fruits, brewer’s yeast, as well as a variety of meat sources like eggs, fish, turkey, and milk. B-Vitamins are considered the most important for healthy hair growth, as they provide a wide variety of functions that are vital to prevent hair loss and encourage new hair growth. Common names of important B-vitamins and their functions include, Para-aminobenzoic acid, which prevents premature graying, Biotin which is key for preventing hair loss, as well as is Inositol, Nicacin (vitamin B-3) which promotes blood circulation to the scalp, Panthenol (B-5) also stops hair loss and encourages new hair growth, and Vitamins B-6 and B-12, which have been shown to play vital roles in healthy hair growth.
Vitamin E, similarly to B-Vitamins, is also vital to producing healthy hair. Vitamin E can be found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. Many North Americans do not get enough Vitamin E in their daily diets and often seek additional sources such as natural and herbal supplements to meet their needs. Vitamin E is an antioxidant responsible for increasing blood flow to the scalp, thereby giving the follicles better access to more nutrients so that they may develop stronger, healthier hair strands.
Vitamin A is also essential to good overall hair follicle health. It’s function is to lubricate the hair follicle. It can be found in green leafy vegetables, liver, eggs, and red, yellow, and orange vegetables. Vitamin C likewise is beneficial for healthy overall hair and can be found in citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, pineapples and tomatoes.
Similar to the body’s need for vitamins to grow and produce generally healthy hair and maintain follicles and reduce hair loss, the body also requires a range of minerals. These minerals include copper, iodine, iron, selenium, silica, and zinc. Minerals are often required for proper enzyme and hormone production, which can have huge impacts on hair growth and loss. Improperly balanced hormones can cause hair to shed, go into a dormant follicular stage, or irritate and swell, thereby producing less, if any hair at all. Mineral definciencies often trigger dry, brittle hair strands, a change in texture, poor hair growth, and outright hair loss. Silica in particular is responsible for the formation of keratin sulfate, an important structural component of the hair shaft, while Zinc is required for proper DNA and RNA production, regulating normal hair follicle cell division. Minerals are most often found in nuts, meat sources, eggs, seafood, beans, grains, and leafy green vegetables. Copper can even be present in some forms of chocolate! Another rarely thought of source of minerals is often tap water. Tap water usually consists of a variety of dissolved local minerals straight from the earth; this is very true particularly in rural areas where residents draw water from well sources. However it is important to keep in mind that different geographical locations offer different mineral concentrations.
